An extra couple of ponies, more electronic aids and improved braking for road-going 1,103cc Ducati Panigale V4 superbike in 2027.
It’s easy to forget just how mad a power figure 216bhp is for a road-legal motorbike. But that’s what Ducati’s current Panigale V4S makes – and that number’s ratcheting up by another couple of ponies for 2027, with a peak output of 218bhp@13,500rpm.
And if you were feeling cheeky you could round that up to 220bhp, why not? That used to be a decent claim for a MotoGP bike
The power comes from higher revs via relatively small engine tweaks – the Desmosedici Stradale lump, with its desmo valve gear, now redlines at a mighty 15,000rpm, which used to be a heady limit for 600cc fours…
Peak power comes at 13,500rpm, and it’s all fully road legal of course. Add the official race pipe and they say you’ll hit 229bhp and save 6.6kg (it won’t be cheap though).
Ducati says that a new exhaust system, modified air intakes and a more efficient lubrication system inside the motor all help give those additional gains. Will you notice two more bhp on a 215bhp+ bike? Probably not, but every little helps, as they say, when you’re fighting hard to win Inters.
Away from the engine, the main monocoque front frame section has been modified, with a little less lateral stiffness, that is said to help improve tyre contact at high lean angles. That should mean more front end grip and better feel in a bend.
There’s also an adjustable handlebar feature on the V4S, that lets you raise the bars by 10mm for track use, which is something that has come from MotoGP apparently – riders are raising their bars there for better leverage and control on braking. Kerb weight with no fuel is 187kg on the S and 191kg on the base bike.
Finally, there’s upgrades to the electronics: a new Dynamic Engine Brake setup on the V4S that tweaks the engine braking according to the load on the rear tyre. We saw this on the Norton Manx R earlier this year actually – and it makes a lot of sense to factor in the IMU settings, as well as the rear suspension position.
There’s also a new Race Brake Control, and both setups should allow more rear braking power through the bends, while maintaining control.
Need more? Ducati’s also entering the Panigale V4 S into its Factory Made customisation programme. Ducati enthusiasts can choose from eleven different colour schemes, including five options drawn directly from the Automobili Lamborghini Ad Personam program, alongside the Corse and Performance liveries.
The offering also includes a selection of homologated components that can be factory-installed, such as the Front Brake PRO and PRO+ packages, the STM dry clutch, and adjustable footpegs.
Customers thus receive a motorcycle already configured to their preferences, eliminating the need for subsequent installations, offering the advantage of a perfectly integrated solution validated by Ducati, while maintaining the authenticity and quality guaranteed by Borgo Panigale production.
Expect to pay a solid premium over the list prices though: the base Panigale V4 is now £25,495, while the V4 S tops £30k at £30,995.
Get the bank manager on the phone now!
2027 Ducati Panigale V4/S tech highlights 2027 CHANGES IN BOLD
Panigale V4 S
- Colour options
- Two Icon (Ducati Red, Ducati Yellow)
- Two Style (Thrilling Black, GP19 Red)
- Two Sophistication (Aviator Grey, Arctic White Silk)
- Five Lamborghini Ad personam (Arancio Xanto, Giallo Belenus, Verde Scandal, Viola Pasifae, Blu Uranus)
- Two liveries (Performance, Corse)
- Key standard features
- Desmosedici Stradale engine, 1,103 cc
- Maximum power of 218 hp at 13,500 rpm
- Maximum torque of 120.6 Nm at 11,000 rpm
- Rev limiter at 15,000 rpm
- New enlarged front air intake (air pressure +0.6% at 300 km/h)
- Kerb weight without fuel: 187 kg
- Front Frame chassis with optimised lateral stiffness
- 17-litre aluminium fuel tank
- Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) 3.0
- Öhlins NPX-30 fork with Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 control system
- Öhlins TTX 36 shock absorber with Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 control system
- Öhlins steering damper with Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 control system
- Forged aluminium wheels
- Lithium battery
- Braking system with Brembo Hypure™ monobloc calipers
- Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4 tyres with 200/60 rear
- New biplane-configuration wings with integrated design and enlarged side endplates
- Latest-generation electronics package with 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (6D IMU): Race eCBS with cornering functionality; Ducati Traction Control (DTC) DVO; Ducati Slide Control (DSC); Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) DVO; Ducati Power Launch (DPL) DVO; Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) 2.0; Dynamic Engine Brake (DEB), Race Brake Control (RBC), Ducati Vehicle Observer (DVO)
- Adjustable Clip-ons (track use only)
- Buttons for quick level adjustment
- New 6.9” full-TFT dashboard with 8:3 aspect ratio
- Riding Modes (Race A, Race B, Sport, Road, Wet)
- Full-LED lighting system with DRL and turn signals integrated into the headlight ***
- Single-seat configuration (passenger kit available as an accessory)
- Pre-configured for Ducati Data Logger (DDL) and Ducati Multimedia System (DMS)
Panigale V4
- Colour
- Ducati Red with Urban Grey frame and black wheels
- Standard equipment same as Panigale V4 S, except for:
- Kerb weight (without fuel): 191 kg
- 43 mm Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF), fully adjustable
- Sachs monoshock, fully adjustable
- Sachs steering damper
- Fixed clip-ons
- Five-spoke light alloy wheels
- Lead-acid battery